Camera



G. KENDE July 239 1946.

CAMERA Filed oct. 27; 195e 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,Mgw A i fr.

INVENTOR 650,965 KEA/DE BY ayu TTORNEY l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 532/ INVENTOR 650265 KEA/0E ATTORN EY G. KENDE CAIERA Filed Oct. 27. 1938 L w WMM IIL /g Patented July 23, 1940 -PA'I'EN'IA oFElcE CAMERA George Kendo, New York,

Universal Camera N. Y., a corporation N. Y., assignor to Corporation, New York, of Delaware Application October 27, 1938, Serial N0. 237,265.

^ 10 Claims.

This invention relates to cameras and has for one of its objects the provision of an improved camera construction including a novel projectible iena-carrying member.

g `VAnother object of my invention is to provide an improved camera construction of the character described which shall comprise relatively few and simple parts, which shall be easy to assemble,

which shall be relatively inexpensive to manul m facture and yet of sturdy construction, and whichat the same time shall operate with a high degree of emciency.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, i and of which the scope of application will be inm dicated in the claims.

n the accompanying drawings,- in which is` I shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Fig. i is a front elevational view of a camera constructed in accordance with my invention;

g Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; i Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the camera illustrated in Fig. 1; w Fig. i is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the iine 4-i of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; j

. Fig. 6 is an elevational view similar to Fig, 1, but showing the same with thefront casing part hingedly swung to open position; and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view thereof. 1

Referring now in detail to the drawings. I have disclosed a camera constructed in accordance with my invention and comprising a casing'made up of afront part I0 anda back part II interconnected by a hinge member I2 so that the casing parts may be pivotally swungto completely opened positiomas shown inFigs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, for`the purpose of loading the camera with a suitable roll of fllm or for any other desired reason. A releasable catch mechanism I4 of any well known design may be employed for maintaining the camera in closed position. 'I'he front casing part I0 comprises a bottom wall'llla and surroundingintegral up-standing side walls IIb toform the box-like hollow casing part III. The casing part II comprises a bottom .wall IIa and surrounding integral up-standing side walls i l I'Ib to form the cooperating box-like hollow casing part II substantially similar tothe casing part I0. The said up-standing side wallsv I0b and IIb are vso designed as to be in registered `relationship when contiguously disposed, as in Fig. 2' of the drawings, where the camera is shown 5 in closed position. To render thecamera casing light-proof, there may be provided adjacent the upper free edges of the side walls IIb of the casing part II a shoulder I5 adjacent an up-stand-` ing ledge portion I6', which extends upwardly be- (10. yond the shoulder I5 and is onset-inwardly from the outer surface of the said walls IIb. The said ledge I6 is designed to be received within the camera casing part il) adjacent the inner surfaces of the' side walls IIb and to rest upon the 15, shoulder I1 disposed at a predetermined distance below the top edge of the side walls IDb, such distance being equal tothe distance which the ledge I6 projects above the top edges of the side walls IIb. The shoulder portion I5 of the casing .part II is at the same time adapted to rest upon the top edge of the side walls |012 to thus form a complete light seal, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Adjacent portions of the side walls,` I Bb and IIb, may be cut away to accom- 25 modate the hinge I2 which` may be suitably attached as shown and a -metallic plate'l8 is then xed to the sidewall Hb in overlying position with respect to the adjacent hinge part, completely closing the cut-out portion of the wall I Ib `5 0 and projecting upwardly so that the top edge of the plate is ush with the top edge of the ledge I6. To insure additional light-proofing the ledge I6 may be provided with a further upstanding ridge I9 extending slightlyabove the said-ledge 35 i l-B and spaced inwardly therefrom, the said ridge I9 being adapted to snugly overlie the portion of the inner surface of the side wall IUb adjacent the shoulder I1.

A'portion of the side wall I Ib of the casing parti 40 II is provided with a notch 20 to accommodate a corresponding bracket flange 2l integral with tlieside wall Ib and designed to have journalled therein a shaft 22'carrying at one end thereof a winding knob 23 of suitable construction well known in the art and having 'at the opposite end of said shaft 22 a member 24 designed to cooperate with a fllmvwind-up spool'25 to cause rotation of the same. The said lm spool 25 and the driving mechanism therefor, above' described, 5o v may be of any suitable type, such as for example that clearly shown andV described in Patent No. 2,029,474, dated February 4,' 1936, for Photovgraphic camera. c

Thebottom wall |0a of the casing part I0 is 5c provided with 'a misstanden: mamma epopipg Il (see Figs. 2 and 4) and upstanding integral i said opening and project-v wallsll surrounding ing inwardly above the top edges of the side walls lb for a predetermined distance and terminatinginatopwalln. Thesaidwalls 3i and 32 form a box-like portion 33 integral with the bot-A tom wall Ida and of such size that when the casing yparts I and Il are in closed assembled position, as in Fig. 2 o! the drawings, a portion o f the said the hollow casing part Ii. In such position the wall 32 will be disposed at a predetermined spaced distance from the bottom wall Ila of the casing part ii.

The above described box-like portion 33 is ,a provided with outwardly projecting integral walls signed to receive therein wall 32 is provided e over inner surface of the vbottom posed between `suitable colored window member well known in the art is mounted so as to cover- V6) disposed in a direction from`the opposite side chambers A and B dethe take-up spool 25 and the take-oil spool 25', respectively. The top with a -lm aperture l0 of suitable size depending upon the sizeof the lm employed. 'I'he said u unwound from the spoo 25' and after passing the aperture 40, to be rewound on the spool 2l by means of the knob 23 hereinbefore described. 'I'he outer surface of the wall 32 may be provided with a slightly recessed portion ti (Fig. 6)' surrounding the aperture lll and deiining a pair of ridges 42 designed to guide the lm F in its path of travel so that it will always be properly aligned withrespect to and directly over the nlm aperture 45.,

A suitable film pressure plate 45 resiliently urged into contact'wlth the unsensitized surface oi' the nlm F by means of the springs 4s is interthe wall 32 of the box-like portion 33 and the bottom wall lla. of the casing part I I. The pressure plate I is provided with an apertureql'l designed to register with a window opening l5 in the wall Ila, through which the iilm numberings lmay be viewed by the operator. A I9 of the type ll and 35 (see Fig. parallel to and spaced walls Illb to form film the opening 45 and to shut out harmful light rays. A resilient annular washer 53 may also be suitably disposed between the wall i la and the vpressure plate l5 surrounding the opening 4B, to further prevent light leakage.

Suitable resilient members in each of the iilm chambers A'and B designed tomaintain the film F on-the spools 25 and 25' in proper tension.'

suitably disposed pairs of ribs 5l and 52 (see Figs. 2 and 6) extending vupwardly from the wall lia of the casing part `Ii are provided to prevent displacement .of the spools 25 and 25' within the 'chambers A and B during the operation of advancing the nlm'after a picture has been taken. When ythe said ribs the casing parts I 5 and li are in closedv position,

the ilanges ofthe spools 25 and 25', as clearly shown in Fig. .2 of the drawings.

Designed to cooperate with the iilm aperture l0 to jphotographically impress an image on .the sensitized iilm F. I provide alens and Va shutter mechanism of any suitable design knownto the art and suitably mounted in a housing 55. Rig- 55 for movement 'therewith is a lense tube y 5U comprising an\annu lar wall 5I terminating in of in an inwardly disposed danse Il. received in box-like portion I5 will project into a protruding portion iilmF is adapted to be.

outwardly disposed anged portion 1i. 50 may be mounted 5l and 52 will beldisposed adjacent n aligned longitudinally the forward ,end therea corresponding circular recess 53 in the housing lens in the housing 55 to be properly spaced from' the portion of the film F adjacent the aperturey I0, thesaid lens tube 50 is slidably mounted in a collar member 55 xed to the wall Ida of the casing part Id by any suitable attaching means f such as for example the rivet pins 5d integrallyv die cast with the collar 55. I'he collar 55 .is provided with an aperture 55a designed to slidably receive the wall 6i of the lens tube 50 therein. 'I'he member 55 is provided with an embossed area 51 on `the inner surfaceA thereof adapted to fit in a. correspondingly recessed area surrounding the opening 40 in the wall 32, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. There is also provided 58 at the rear surface oi said member 55 adjacent the opening 55a and designed to be interposed in the space 55 be,-

tween the walls 3| and 5i. The member 55, the

raised /area 58 and the portion 59 "may be of drawings, or, if desired, they may be made of any other suitable shape. When the member 55 .is properly ilxed to the wall Illa, by means of the rivets 54,' the lens tube 50 together with the housing 55 will be free tolslidably move in a y'rectangular peripheral contour, as shown vin the direction axially vofthe opening 55a. 4The dis-A n which the Ihousing 55 may be slidably moved.

such position placing'the lens in -an ineiective.V

or out of focus position with respect to the film aperture 40' for taking pictures. The camera is.

so designed that when it is desired to eiectively use the same, the lens tube 5 must be slidably' withdrawn -from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to a position such as shown in Figs. 4 and 7. In order to limit such outward movement of the lens tube and the .housing 55, the annular wall 5I of the said tube 50 is provided, at the end opposite from that of the flange 52, with an ilanged portion is preferably of rectangular shape and corresponds in peripheraicontour to the cross-sectional contour of the box-like portion 33. The inner surface of the iiange portion 'Ii is v'designed to abut the inner surface of the portion '68 of the member 55 and to thus prevent further outward sliding movement of the lens tube 80 and housing 55. In such position, the

/lens is' properly distanced-from the film F adjacent the film aperture l0 for taking pictures. To reduce frictional wear due to the sliding action of the lens tube 50, the inner surface of the wall- 3i may be lined with a resilient material I" such as felt.

To prevent undesirable sliding movement of the lens tube 5 0 when in such last named extended position, the following releasable holding means are provided. Extending horizontally on opposite sides of the annular ange portion 10 are a pair of lugs 15'. The said lugs 15 are provided with disposed through apertures 15. A slight detent .1,1 is also provided in the outer surface of thewvallA 5| of the tube 5C on Such diametrically oppomte sides thereof, said detents u 11 being designed to bein register with the openings 16. After the tube 60 is properly slidably mounted on the member 65, a small steel ball 18 is placed in each opening 16 after which a spring 19 is also inserted. A suitable plug member 80 is then inserted in the aperture 16 to retain the spring 19 under compression so as to normally urge the ball 18 into engagement with and to be received in the detent 11 in the wall GI of the tube 60. It is thus seen that when the lens tube W is slidably moved `to its outermost position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7, it will be held in such position against undesirable sliding displacement by means of the spring pressed balls 18 and the detents 11. After a picture has been taken and it is desired to collapse the lens tube 60, it may be 'slidably moved to its innermost position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 against the force of the spring lid. My camera construction is so designed that when the lens tube 60 is in such innermost position, it is releasably held by means of a lsecond pair of 'diametrically aligned detents 'l'l' properly disposed in the outer surface of the wall 6l.

To prevent undesirable relative axial rotation and lateral movement between the lens tube t@ and the camera casing, the following construction is provided. The outer surface ofthe wallj Gl of the `tube .$0 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal notches di, and a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced longitudinal ridges 83 between said notches. The inner surface of the wall surrounding the opening 65a in the member 65 is correspondingly provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal notches B5 and a plurality of alternately spaced ridges Bt. "The ridges tt of the tube 60 are designed to be received in corresponding notches 85 in the member @t while the ridges Oil in the said member 65 are designed to be received in the notches 82 of the tube G6. It isthus seen from the above described construction that there is no possibility of either lateral movement? or relative axial rotation between the housing carrying the lens and shutter mechanism and the camera, and thus there is prevented improper focusing and resulting faulty pictures.

In accordance with my invention, the following ilnder device is provided, which may comprise a portion 3l integrally cast with the casing wall IIb (see Fig. 7) and having a portion thereof projecting beyond said wall illb and adapted to freely overlie a portion of the corresponding wall i ib' of the casing part i I. The portion is provided with a through opening 9| of tapered construction, as shown in Fig. 4, and having mounted at the opposite ends thereof suitable lenses 92 and 93 of the type of construction generally employed in the art. The longitudinal axis of the finder 90 is adapted to be parallel and in alignment with the optical axis of the camera.

It will thus be seen .that there is provided a device in whichthe several objects of this invention -are achieved, and which is 'well adapted to meet the 4conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments which might be made rof the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in-the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In a camera of the character described, the combination of a casnghaving an opening therein, a rigid lens tube, said lens tube being axially slidably movable in said opening with respect to said casing, and means for preventing axial rotational movement of said lens tube in said opening, said last named means comprising a plurality of longitudinal notches circumferentially disposed in the outer wall of said lens tube and cooperating ridges in the wall surrounding said opening received in said notches.

2. In a camera of the character described, the combination of a pair of casing parts, the rst of said casing parts being provided with a circular lens opening and a box-like portion surrounding said lens opening, said box-like portion'projecting inwardly toward the other of said casing parts, circumferentially spaced ridges in the wall surrounding said lens opening, an annular lens tube mounted in. said first casing part for sliding axial movement with respect to said lens openling, thenouter suri'ace of said lens tube being `providedtwith circumferentially spaced notches or recesses corresponding to and slidably receiving said ridges for preventing rotational movement of said lens tube with respect to said casing, means for limiting the movement of said lens tube in yan outward' direction away from said first casing part, said last named means comprising afiange at the inner end of said lens tube, said flange being' larger than said casing lens opening, and means for releasably retaining said lens tube in said last named outward limited position.

3. In acamera of the character described, the combination of a pair of casing parts, the first of seid casing parts lbeing provided with an opening, and a boX-like-portion surrounding said opening, said box-like portion projecting inwardly toward the other of said casing parts, a plate having a circular opening in alignment wlthsaid casing opening, means for attaching said plate to.

Amovement into and away from said box-like portion, 'a flange on said lens tube adapted to abutV said inwardly extending portion of said plate to limitthe outward sliding movement of said lens tube, and means for preventing relative axialrotational movement between said lens tube and said plate, said last named means comprising portions on said lens tube mating with corresponding portions in the wall of said plate opening.

4. In a camera of the character described, the combination of a pair of casing parts, the first of said casing parts being provided with an opening, and a box-like portion surrounding said opening, said box-like portion projecting inwardly toward the other 'of said casing parts, a plate having a circular opening in alignment with said casing opening', means for attaching said plate to said first casing part, an annular lens tube mounted in said plate opening for axial movement into and away from said box-like portion, and means for preventing relative axial rotational movement between said lens tube and said vplate opening, said last named means comprising a ridge in the surrounding wall of said plate opening and a cooperating notch in the outer wall of said lens tube, said ridge being transversely disposed and' coextensive with said surrounding wall of said plate opening and said notch being parallel to said ridge and coextensive with said outer wall of said lens tube.

5. In a camera of the character described, the combination of a pair of casing parts, the rst of said casing parts being provided with an openusl 25 circumferentialiy ing. and a box-like portion surrounding said opening, said box-like portion projecting inwardly toward the other of said casing parts, a plate having a circular opening in alignment with said cas ing opening, an annular lens tube mounted in said plate opening for axial movement into and away from said box-like portion, andmeans for preventing the rotational movement of said lens tube in said opening, said last named means comon said lens tube mating with corresponding portions in the wall of' said plate prising portionsV opening. y

6 Ina camera of the character described.'the combination of a pair of casing parts, the istv of said casing parts being provided with an opening, a member xedly mounted on said last named casing part, said member having a circular opening communicating with and in optical alignment with said casing opening, an annular lens tube axially slidable in said member opening, the outer surface Aof the wall of said lens tube being pro- Y vided with circumferentially spaced longitudinal notches or recesses in a said circular member opening being provided with spaced longitudinal ridges corresponding to and received in said notches or recesses to prevent relative axial rotational move' ment between said lens tube and all times. 7. In a camera of the character described, the

combination of apair of casing parts, the first oi said member at said casing parts being provided with an opening.'

' axially -slidable vide a better ing communicating l .with said casing. opening,V an annular' lens tube in said member opening, a pornon perauel a member xediy 4mounted on said last' named. casing part, said member having a circular openwith and in optical alignment tion of said membersurrounding said circular opening extending'inwardly of said casing and a portion extending outwardly of said casing to prosupporting surface for said slidable lens tube, the outer surface oi the wall of said lens tube being provided with circumierentially spaced longitudinal notches or recesses in a directothe axisofsaidlens tube andthe wall surrounding said circular member opening being provided with circumferentialiy spaced longitudinal ridges correspondingto and received f a dezent 1p the in saidl notches.' or recesses to prevent relative axial rotational movement between said lens tube v'and saidmember at all'times.

8. In a camera of the character described. Athe I I combination oi a pair oi' casing partsfthe f lrstof said casing parts being provided with an open.

ing,a member iixedly mounted on said last named casing part, said member having a circular opening communicating with and in optical alignment with saidcasing opening, an annularlens tube opening axially slidable in said member opening, a ,portion o! said member surrounding said circular extending inwardly oi lsaid casing and a portion extending outwardly of said casing to provide a better supporting surface for said slidable lns tube. the outer surface/of the wall ot isaid lens tube being provided with cireumierentially .easinspart -with saideasing direction parallel to the airis of said lens tube and the wall surrounding 'spaced longitudinal spacedlongitudinalnotcheeorrecesseeinedireetionparalieltoiheaxisoivsaidlenstubeandthe andsaidmember at alltimes, said lenstubebeing provided with an outwardly extending the inner end thereof adapted to contactively engagethesaidmemberportlonextendiuginwardly ofsaidcasingtoiimitthecutwardslidingmm ment of said lens tube, said last named podtion being the picture telling position.

amaeameraoithecharaeterdescrlbedbe pairoi! casing parte, the tiret of .said casing parts being provided an open-v ing, a member xedly mounted on said member having a circular opening communicating with and in optical alignment opening, an annular lens tube axially slidable in said member opening, a portion of said member surrounding said circ`ular opening extending inwardly oi said casing and a portion extending outwardly of said casinghto provide a better supporting surface for 'said slidable lens'tube, the outer surface' of the wall of .is I

entially spaced longitudinal notches or recesses' inadirectionparalleltothea'xisofsaidlens tube and the wall surrounding said circular niember opening being provided with circmnieretiaiiy ridges corresponding to and received in said notches or recesses to prevent rel'- ative axial rotational movement between said lens tubeandsaidmember atalltimeasaidlenstub movement or said lens time, said last named von@ tion being the picture taking podtion,

l andmeanl for releasablyretaining saidlens mbein' extendingmemberportiomaspsing adaptedto receive saidball. Y

19. Inacameraotthe 

